The Foxes Den: Recent Episodes
Yorkville CUSD 115
The Foxes Den is a podcast series dedicated to learning more about the culture, character, and spirit of what makes the Yorkville School District so unique. The series takes an in-depth approach to learning more about a person’s ”why” and their journey to Yorkville School District 115.
Listen in as Hollywood comes to Yorkville. Listen as I talk with Christian Vergara, a Yorkville Alum, and Elias Ginsberg, two producers on the film Admissions. Hear the reason they chose Yorkville High School for the movie, and what it feels like to be back in the hallways. Listen as they share why independent filmmaking and local storytelling are so important. Listen as they share their journey from "I want to make movies" to actually producing them. Hear what they hope audiences will take away from this story, and if they could go back… what would they tell their high school self?
Listen in as senior students from the Superintendent Student Advisory Council (Ale, Carter, Mahlet, and Aidan) share their thoughts on joining the SSAC and how it has impacted their school experience. Hear what school tradition or event became a core memory throughout high school. Listen as they discuss how they stay motivated and balanced between life, extracurriculars, and academics, and what advice they would give to their freshman self.
Listen in as Dr. Matt Zediker, Superintendent of Schools, discusses the upcoming referendum. Dr. Zediker will provide answers to a number of questions raised during the recent town hall meetings and those shared online. Listen as we discuss the latest news regarding the Yorkville City Council, the proposed data centers, the possibility of the school district receiving over $68M to help fund the facility master plan, and how he would explain the referendum to a 2nd grader in exchange for a juice box.
Listen in as Kim Wensits, Head Coach for the Girls Varsity Basketball team, and the Division Chair for Applied Math at Yorkville High School, shares where her love of basketball comes from and the countless hours she spent playing with her dad in the driveway. Hear what she would say to the team as she takes us into the half-time huddle. Listen as she discusses the importance of looking for commitment and character out of her players, the legacy of the Hoops for Hope fundraiser, to help fight cancer, and her obsession with theme parties.
Listen in as Bryan Buck, Principal at Yorkville Middle School, shares how teaching has been in his family for generations, all the way back to a one-room schoolhouse. Hear how his senior year football season changed the direction of choosing a college. Listen as he discusses the interesting ways he builds climate and culture with his students and staff, and hear how many Jordan's he has in his shoe collection.
Listen in as Dr. Matt Zediker, Superintendent of Schools, shares what Homecoming Week means to him and one of his favorite homecoming memories. Listen as he talks about his second year as Superintendent and why he chose “Strengthening Our Steps” for this year's theme. Listen as he discusses a new event that started this year —the State of the District Luncheon — and the important impact it has on the business community, and hear a brief check-in regarding the Facilities Master Plan.
Listen in as senior leaders from the high schools’ Superintendent Student Advisory Council (SSAC) share what it's like to participate in the SSAC. Listen as Elijah, Maddie, Garrett, Jacob, and Hannah share why they decided to join the SSAC and the experiences they’ve gained from it. Listen to how they stay motivated and balanced with academics, athletics, extracurriculars, and life outside of high school. Hear what advice they would give their freshman-year self about navigating high school, and what is something people might not understand about students today that they wish they did.
Listen in as Dr. Matt Zediker, Superintendent of Schools, joins The Foxes Den for part two of a four-part series. Listen as he shares everything he has seen and participated in during his first six months as the Superintendent. Listen as he shares his thoughts and ideas on the culture, climate, and relationships within Yorkville School District 115. Listen as he talks about the Facilities Master Plan Listening Sessions, the Steering Committee, and all the suggestions the community has brought forward during the sessions, and the first thing that comes to his mind when he thinks of the word success.
Listen as Darren Crawford, Y115 Board of Education President, talks about the board's role in developing the Facilities Master Plan and thoughts for the district's future. Hear what inspired him to run for the Board of Education. Listen as he talks about the challenges and the rewards of being on the Board of Education and where his community service mindset comes from. And what movie he wrote, directed, and starred in.
Listen in as Heather DiVerde, Executive Director of Facility Operations, talks about upcoming projects and those that go on behind the scenes. Hear about her role in the Facilities Master Plan and how the community will play an important part in those discussions. Listen as she talks about district security, how the district is prepared in the event of an emergency, and the importance of balancing safety and welcoming spaces, and why she spent a few days on vacation in Texas.
Listen in as Leslie Smogor, President of the Yorkville Educational Foundation (YEF), shares the origins of her volunteer spirit and the journey that led her to lead the YEF. Discover why the Foundation plays a vital role in both the community and the school district, and how you can get involved to make a difference. Leslie also highlights the exciting events the YEF hosts throughout the year and the impactful grant programs that benefit the staff and students of Y115.
Listen in as Dr. Matt Zediker, Superintendent of Schools, talks about growing up in Nebraska and how athletics and coaching shaped how he built strong bonds with his students. Hear how he taught without textbooks or a curriculum early in his career. Listen as he shares his journey to becoming a Superintendent, his plans for future growth in the district, and creating a facilities master plan… and if he could beat Bobby Flay in a cooking contest.
Listen in as Varsity Softball Head Coach Jory Regnier and Assistant Coach Megan Leadbetter reflect upon the team’s Second Place finish at last year's State Championship Game, and how they are preparing for another run at State this year. Hear how they think their coaching styles have changed over the years. Listen as they take us into the huddle before a game, and their thoughts on holding the runner at 3rd base or sending her home.
Listen in as Music Department Division Chair Victor Anderson, Art Teacher Levi McCulloch, and Choir Director David Smith discuss all things Fine Arts Festival. Listen as they talk about the festival's history and how it all began, what makes the Fine Arts Festival so unique and special to Yorkville, what new and exciting additions will take place this year, and what they hope people will get out of the festival when they attend.
Listen in as Kreg Wesley, Executive Director of Finance and Operations shares his career path to the District 115 and how the philosophy of “It’s all about how learners learn and teachers teach” has guided his decisions throughout the years. Hear his thoughts on transparency as it relates to district finances, the role Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays within the finance arena, and his approach to budget planning for District 115. Wesley also talks about some of his favorite Podcast on his playlist, and what advice he would give to his 17-year-old younger self.
Listen in as Chris Palmisano, 8th Grade Social Studies Teacher, Head Coach for Boys Varsity Soccer Team, and Yorkville High School’s Activities Director, discusses all the great activities that will be happening during Homecoming Week 2023. Hear the passion in his voice as he shares his selflessness mentality and student first approach. Listen as he shares why that one student will always stay with him, and the tough career choice between becoming a teacher or meteorologist.
Listen in as Joe Blomquist, Director of Business Services for Yorkville District 115, discusses all-things-food regarding the new school lunch and breakfast program that will start at the beginning of the 2023/24 school year. Hear the passion as he shares his insights and feelings about student nutrition and the positive effects it has on their learning. Listen as we discuss how the food will be prepared, fresh, every day, and some of the menu items our students will have to choose from. Mr. Blomquist also talks about what his ideal lunch would be if he were in school today.
Listen in as Luke Engelhardt, Associate Principal for Athletics, Activities, and Facilities at Yorkville High School discusses his athletic career as a Yorkville Fox and as a two-sport athlete at Aurora University. Hear about the educators in his family and the path he took to become the Athletic Director at Yorkville High School, how important the Yorkville summer camps are to our student athletes, and just how far the golf cart can go on a single charge.
Listen in as Melinda Hafenrichter, Principal at Yorkville Grade School, discusses the motto of her school and what it means to staff, students, and parents. Hear about where her love of teaching comes from, what she would change if she had to do it all over again, and how many state championships she won as a middle school athlete.
Listen in as Melinda Lasky, Director of Student Services, and Emma McGuire, Assistant Director of Student Services for Yorkville District 115 discuss the types of support District 115 offers the students and staff. Hear what special education means to them, the most challenging and rewarding aspects of their roles, and why that one student always stays with them.
Listen in as Yorkville Middle School 8th Grade Students, Makayla Bryant, Reese Benjamin and Jaydin Kimot, discuss their thoughts about being freshmen in high school next year. Hear what activities they enjoy outside of class, the advice they would give to the incoming 7th grade class, and what grade they would give to the food in the school lunch program.
Listen in as Cory Mehnert, Early Childhood Coordinator, discusses the time she spent 5 months as an exchange student in Uruguay. Hear about the A-Ha moment in becoming an early childhood teacher, what advice she would give her 17-year-old self, and the one thing she asked for most while living in another country.
Listen in as Dr. David Travis, Principal of Yorkville High School, discusses the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of being a High School Principal. Hear about the path he took in becoming a teacher, who is that one student he remembers most and why, and the fall he took before joining the Air Force.
Listen in as Steph McHugh, Yorkville District Book Ambassador, discusses where her love of books come from, her favorite camp in all the world, and what her classroom library looked like when she was a teacher. Hear how she searches out book stores across the globe, and what she can tell us about the secret society of the Book Ninjas.
Listen in as Yorkville High School Student Council President, Annie Wolf, and Vice President, Makenna Edwards discuss why Student Council is so important to them. Hear what it was like planning all the events during Homecoming week, what they do to get away from the everyday grind of being a high school student, and what they wish they knew as freshman to make the experience even sweeter.
Listen in as Dan McGuire, Head Coach of the Varsity Football team and Assistant Athletic Director at Yorkville School District 115, discusses the importance of the Homecoming Football Game, and how his coaching styles has changed over the years. Hear what led him to go into education, and his new found love of grilled peanut butter sandwiches.
Listen in as Chris Muth, Special Education Teacher and Head Coach for the Girls and Boys XC team, discusses his coaching philosophies and how they have changed over the years. Hear why Coach Muth compares the XC season to the Christmas Holidays, the reason he became a special education teacher, and what musical instrument gave him the best chance at a college scholarship.
Listen in as Dr. Lynn Burks, Board of Education President, discusses the path she took to become the Board of Education President for the Yorkville School District. Hear why Dr. Burks loves the combination of learning and travel, why financial literacy should be part of the everyday life balance, and where she would ski if given the perfect day.
Listen in as Victor Anderson, Band Director and Music Department Chair for Yorkville School District 115, discusses what it means to be awarded Best Communities for Music Education for the 5th year in a row. Listen as Mr. Anderson shares how the district’s music department has changed during his time at District 115, where his love of music came from, and what instrument is his favorite to play when he wants to get away from it all.
Listen in as Dr. Tim Shimp, Superintendent for Yorkville School District 115, discusses his career path to becoming the Superintendent for the Yorkville School District. Listen as Dr. Shimp shares what he has learned about himself and the community while navigating through a pandemic, what he sees in the crystal ball when looking into the future, what he is most proud of as an educator, and how many degrees away he really is from actor Kevin Bacon.